Readings: Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 (NRSV, The Message); Judges 2:16-23 (NRSV, The Message); Acts 13:16-25 (NRSV, The Message)
In your book were written
all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed. Psalm 139:16b (NRSV)
They lost no time leaving the road walked by their parents, the road of obedience to God’s commands. They refused to have anything to do with it. Judges 2:17 (The Message)
That’s why God let those nations remain. He didn’t drive them out or let Joshua get rid of them. Judges 2:23 (The Message)
All my days? Already written for me? I’m not sure what to hink about that. Actually, yes I do. I don’t agree with it. Call me a heretic. I believe that I have so many choices. I believe that as I avail myself to God’s love and power in my life, that relationship will blossom and my days, present and future, can be transformed. Or maybe that was already written?
The description of the unfolding generations in Judges 2 is instructive for me. A relationship with God is active and dynamic. In successive generations, and even in my own life, we cannot just start well and let it go from there. That is when we lose sight of God working in our life and we walk away or, and I believe this is worse, end up with dogma and tradition but no active relationship with God, the creator of the universe. It has been my experience that relationship has to be tended and nurtured in each of us on a consistent basis.
The end of the passage of Judges is an excellent reminder that we have to rout the enemies in our life. NOT – mind you, the enemies outside, the enemies inside. If we let anything stay that we know is destructive: sin, negative thoughts, judgmentalism, etc., we always run the risk that it will grow at some point and attack.
